For 16 years and counting, Coshla Quarries has been supplying a broad range of high-quality concrete, stone and block products to the construction industry across County Galway. With planning permission secured to significantly expand operations in the quarry, Building Ireland sat down with general manager Martin Collins to get an update on an exceptional business that consistently delivers unrivalled products and service.
Since its inception in 2007, Coshla Quarries – a 72-acre limestone quarry located at Cashla, Athenry – has made an immeasurable contribution to construction in Galway, supplying concrete, stone, blocks and aggregates to a who’s who of main contractors engaged in building, civil and infrastructural projects large and small throughout the county.
Under the direction of owners John Flaherty and John Morris, Coshla Quarries offers customers bespoke products and solutions tailored to their precise requirement and has an immaculate track record working on an impressive portfolio of projects from the N6 Galway-Dublin dual carriageway and the M17 / M18 Gort-Tuam motorway to major healthcare, education and leisure projects and the landmark commercial development that is Bonham Quay in Galway city.
Coshla Quarries has always been synonymous with quality products and unbeatable service, and this remains very much the case today, as general manager Martin Collins attests: “Even though things are a little quieter than usual at the moment, we’re still working away and we are quietly confident that construction in Galway will come back to where it was.
“We’re keeping our focus on quality and sustainability and one of the upsides of the slight downturn is that we have had a little more time to look at how we can improve in areas like quality, service, production and safety. We’ve put that time to good use in reassessing what we can do to improve our service to our customers and our relationships with them.
“How can we give them exactly what they are looking for and improve their overall experience with us? There’s no room for complacency and these are some of the areas we have been looking at to further strengthen our relationship with customers.”
Crucially, the long-term future of the quarry has also been secured: “In September, we were granted another 20 years of planning with An Bord Pleanala,” Martin confirms. “Our planning permission was about to elapse and this new permission means we are now able to continue supplying the Galway market for at least another 20 years.
“They also gave us clearance to quarry rock in a larger area of the quarry. There’s a substantial amount of rock in that area so our capacity has now been increased significantly.”
Supplying and manufacturing fully certified, high quality concrete and stone, Coshla Quarries operate two concrete batching plants to ensure reliable delivery of all products. Each and every block carries the CE mark and is manufactured on site by their hard working and dedicated team of concrete experts, who are dedicated to helping customers meet their targets by offering expert advice and value for money.
Using GGBS from Ecocem, Coshla Quarries take every measure to reduce their carbon footprint while increasing the strength and durability of their products. Always keen to meet the ever-evolving needs of customers and their projects, Coshla can produce specific concrete mix requirements to suit more niche demands.
From footpath and pump mix to floor screed, Coshla Quarries offers a wide range of ready-mix concrete to suit the needs of every customer. All concrete comes fully certified and tailored to specified requirements and Coshla Quarries’ range of concrete products also includes air-entrained, dyed concrete and exposed concrete.
Be it for a new build, renovation or refurbishment, Coshla Quarries has a concrete block to suit all needs. Manufacturing low-carbon concrete blocks using 50% GGBS, all building materials from the quarry are environmentally friendly, strong and long-lasting. Block types supplied by Coshla Quarries include 4” blocks, 6” blocks, 4” soap bars, 6” soap bars and stock bricks.
Meanwhile, Coshla Quarries also produce a comprehensive range of stone products as well as offering block-laying sand and plastering sand. Its stone range includes 505, 503, clause 804, 6N, T0, T1, T2, T3, 10mm chips and 20mm chips.
“Things are a little slow in Galway city and county at the minute as rising costs and interest rates are holding up some projects, but there are still some decent projects due to start in the region next year and we are very much looking forward to that,” the quarry’s general manager notes.
“One contractor predicted to me a while back that there would be a six-month slowdown in Galway and that things would then pick up again. It’s looking like he was on the money. Things will definitely pick up sooner rather than later. For the time being, there aren’t a lot of largescale projects but we’re still tipping away with pharma and agri work and other bits and pieces.
“We were involved in the first two phases of Bonham Quay with Sisk and the third phase, which I believe will be a €300m project, is due to start next year. We’ve built up a good relationship with Sisk and indeed with all the main contractors who work in Galway, big and small.
“Sometimes you will get a job based on price but a lot of times it is repeat business and you are judged on how you performed on a previous project or on the relationship you built with the contractor. We have a good track record, great products and are known for customer service. We’re very fortunate to have an excellent team – between direct employees and subcontractors – and we are extremely optimistic going into 2024.”
Coshla Quarries,
Cashla,
Athenry,
County Galway.
Tel: 091 389020
Mobile: 087 9663781
Email: [email protected]
Web: coshlaquarries.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, March 2024, Vol 10 No 3
